Artist Unknown

The Search For African History

In this documentary, Lonnie James, a young British man of Trinidadian descent, journeys to the ancient African kingdom of Benin, located in present-day Nigeria, to discover the origins of a carved mask purchased in London. He uncovers a tale of early African civilization, the looting of treasures and suppression of traditions by colonial powers, and the amazing persistence of an African artistic vision within a colonial culture. His mission becomes a quest to better understand the essence of Africa itself. In an ultimate gesture of reconciliation with his African heritage, James leaves the prized mask in the place where it was created. A BBCW Production.